Best DNA Testing
Based on In-Depth Reviews

Best for Range of Options

HomeDNA offers the most direct-to-consumer DNA testing options that we could find. Most companies focus on one or two services (like AncestryDNA, 23&Me, or MyHeritage), or on a range of unique products (like Orig3n), but HomeDNA offers the most individualized range of genetic test options. 

The company is a subsidiary of the DNA Diagnostic Center, one of the largest and most accredited DNA laboratories in the world, famous for offering paternity and relationship testing.

HomeDNA is also the only company we could find that offers an Asian-tailored edition of the DNA test intended to address the lack of precision of other DNA kits for this demographic.

Services Offered

Because of the sheer number of tests offered, navigating HomeDNA’s website can be very confusing. Ahead, we have tried to make sense of all of the different options, listing them by price and type of service offered.

Screenshot of HomeDNA.com's product categories. August 20, 2019.

HomeDNA’s tests fall into one of three categories: Ancestry, Health & Beauty, and Pets. It should be noted that the “health” portion of the “Health & Beauty” tests does not include genetic risk or carrier risk reports. On the contrary, they are more on a par with 23&Me’s “Wellness” reports.

Ancestry Tests

GPS Origins Algorithm Raw Data Upload ($39) - This service allows customers to upload the raw DNA data files obtained from other companies, specifically Ancestry and National Geographic. In the past, customers could upload data files from 23&Me and FamilyTree as well, but recent changes in those companies algorithms have made their files incompatible with HomeDNA. It’s unclear whether the results are comparable to the full “GPS Origins Ancestry Test.”

HomeDNA Starter ($69) - Instead of examining customers’ DNA against over 80,000 markers, this starter test only looks at 100+ DNA markers. HomeDNA compares these markers against their contemporary populations' reference panel across 4 regions. 

DNA Origins Maternal Lineage ($69) - This is a specialized test that only focuses on the mitochondrial DNA passed from mother to child. This kind of test can be used to trace one single matrilineal ancestry thousands of years to a particular “haplogroup.” As we explain in our Helpful Information below, customers should note that while this kind of test is highly accurate — as this DNA is inherited virtually unchanged and unshuffled —  it is also only tracing one single ancestor at each generation as opposed to the other hundreds of ancestors in a person’s genome.

DNA Origins Paternal Lineage ($69) - Like the Maternal Lineage test, this DNA kit offers to identify and trace the origins of the Y chromosome through the male line. This test is, of course, only available to customers who have a Y chromosome and are biologically male, since biologically female individuals carry two X chromosomes instead. 

GPS HomeDNA Advanced ($124) - This test shares many similarities to the GPS Origins Ancestry Test described below, though it seems to lack many of the more dynamic online features listed in that one. In addition, this test is not available online; it can only be purchased through a retail store. If consumers want to buy this particular test, they need to use the “Find a Store” button.

Origins Ancestry Test ($199) - This test examines a person’s autosomal DNA at over 80,000 locations and 41 regions around the world and against more than 1,000 reference populations. HomeDNA claims that this test has the capacity to “target” a person’s DNA origins down to the town or village it comes from — a tall claim given that migration mixing usually makes this level of precision difficult. In addition to a breakdown of DNA origins, this test also offers detailed stories about migration routes, wars, and famines that can explain admixture. It should be noted that this test does not include Y and mitochondrial DNA analysis.

GPS Origins African Edition ($199) - This is one of the few African-specific genetic tests on the market, beside AfricanAncestry.com. It offers to compare customers’ DNA against 11 gene pools tied to the African continent, tracing its origins to as far back as 2,000 years. 

GPS Origins Asian Edition ($199) - Like the African Edition, this version of HomeDNA seeks to fill a gap in the market for Asian-specific DNA testing. Other direct-to-consumer tests have been criticized for how their limited reference panels result in vague, imprecise reports when it comes to customers from non-European origins. 

Health & Beauty

Skin Care ($99) - With this product, HomeDNA claims to be able to offer a personalized skincare regimen that suits each customer. The company examines 28 genetic markers that they have associated with specific skin aging categories, from collagen quality to skin sensitivity. Their science section, however, does not adequately explain just how they are interpreting genes or even which genes they're focusing on. That said, there is evidence to suggest a connection between key SNP markers and skin aging, although consumers are advised to remember that there are many, if not more, external non-genetic factors that influence aging and skincare.

Food & Pet Sensitivity ($99) - With this test, HomeDNA offers customers the opportunity to learn if their genes suggest they have a variety of allergies and sensitivities, from gluten and lactose intolerance to peanut and pet dander allergies. This product is not available in New York and Maryland because of their stricter state regulations. 

Healthy Weight ($119) - This test claims to offer individualized diet and exercise strategies according to customers’ genetic makeup. Like the food and pet sensitivity test, this kit is not available in New York and Maryland. Similarly to skincare, concerns have been raised regarding the scientific validity behind the purported connection between DNA and dieting. 

Paternity ($164) - This is HomeDNA’s most popular DNA kit, and it is the one that ostensibly put them on the commercial direct-to-consumers genetic map back when it used to be called “Identigene.” The website includes instructions of the steps to take if using the test for legal purposes like in child support or child custody cases, and they offer 1-day and same-day results for additional fees. This kit can only be purchased in stores.

Pets

Finally, HomeDNA offers three kits for pets — specifically dogs and cats. All three of these tests include “Life Plans”, which entail suggestions designed to “optimize” a pet’s wellness according to their DNA profile.

• Mixed-Breed Dog Identification - $125

• Cat DNA Health Screen - $125

• Dog DNA Health Screen - $125

Privacy & Security

HomeDNA offers slightly more privacy and data security than other direct-to-consumer DNA test companies because they don't offer a relatives matching feature or enable third-party apps and social media applications to access customer data. 

That said, like other companies, their laboratories can and will use anonymized customer data. In addition, in their privacy terms and conditions, they explicitly state that they reserve the right to disclose customer information to their affiliates, service providers, and business partners unless restricted from doing so by the customer. Moreover, “regardless of any choices” made by customers, HomeDNA’s parent company, DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), “may disclose information if it believes in good faith that such disclosure is necessary” in a number of situations.

Finally, although the company does not allow “any third parties that push content” to their site, they may directly link to third party websites, which may collect information on customers.

Online Resources

The prominent downside to HomeDNA is its online resources — the website is outdated and the information can be confusing. That's why we considered it best to list all of their products, their prices, and descriptions in our review in an attempt to help consumers navigate them.

The difference between, for instance, the $124 “HomeDNA Advanced Ancestry Test” and the $199 “GPS Origins Ancestry Test” is not readily apparent as both include similar descriptions. The difference between them is that the “Advanced” test can only be purchased in stores.

Screenshot of HomeDNA.com's product overviews. August 20, 2019.

Customers might also wonder whether the “GPS Origins Algorithms” version that enables them to upload raw DNA data from other companies for only $39 is comparable to the “GPS Origins Ancestry Test” since the details of each are slightly different.

Screenshot of HomeDNA.com's results description. August 20, 2019.

Answers to these questions can be found in their FAQs but might be confusing at first and require careful combing through the information for each kit.

Best For Tracing African Ancestry

African Ancestry is the only direct-to-consumers DNA test kit on the market designed especially for customers of African descent. The company boasts a 30,000 sample reference panel, far bigger than AncestryDNA’s 13,000 sample database and 23&Me’s 5,000 sample database. 

The company’s database size is important because, the bigger the reference panel, the more accurate and precise their population estimates can be. This enables African Ancestry to estimate DNA origins to specific tribes and populations in the African continent.

As a result of over 240 years of slavery in the United States as well as historic colonial displacement throughout the African continent, it can be very difficult for many people of African descent to trace their DNA origins and ancestral roots in comparison to those of European descent.

Services Offered

African Ancestry offers two main services along with several special package deals. It should be noted, however, that these are the most expensive DNA kits we have found currently on the market. In addition, they are available exclusively to customers of African descent. 

Screenshot of AfricanAncestry.com's products. August 20, 2019.

MatriClan/PatriClan Test Kits

These two kits, $299 each with a $25 discount if bought together, provide customers with breakdowns of either their mitochondrial or Y-DNA, respectively. By looking at portions of the gene code that are inherited practically unchanged from generation to generation, these tests can determine, fairly accurately, the origins of maternal and paternal ancestry lines to specific ethnic groups. 

It should, of course, be noted that neither test can guarantee that the results will be African. This is because, out of all of the ancestors in each generation, a person’s mitochondrial and YDNA is only passed down two people at a time (see our Helpful Information section for a more detailed explanation). 

This means that a person could have many African ancestors, but if their mitochondrial DNA or Y chromosome did not originate in Africa, the service will not be able to trace their roots to the African continent. If this occurs, African Ancestry will inform customers which continent their DNA originates from, but not the country or group.

Finally, customers should remember that only biological males carry a Y-chromosome, therefore biologically female customers cannot take the PatriClan test (though they can ask a male family member like a father or brother to take it instead). 

Keepsake Boxes & Special Packages

African Ancestry has three additional deals:

• The African Ancestry Keepsake Box ($359) - This box is designed as a display item that can be paired up with either the MatriClan or PatriClan test. It includes a softcover journal where customers can put their “Certificate of Ancestry.”

• Family Celebration Package ($679) - This package contains both ancestry tests, six additional personalized certificates, and four African Ancestry t-shirts, which reflect either the country of ancestry or the company map logo design. 

• African Ancestry Keepsake Box for Existing Family Member Version ($69) - This is the same box as the $359, but it’s available for someone who has already taken one of the MatriClan or PatriClan tests.

Privacy & Security

African Ancestry’s Privacy Policy is one of the simplest in the DTC DNA test industry, amounting to only 3 pages in comparison to the more common 15-page average. This means that there’s less legal jargon in African Ancestry’s policy, but at the same time, there’s room for loopholes or potential misinformation.

The policy states, for instance, that cookies cannot be linked to personally identifiable information, though that depends on how personal data is defined. Similarly, they say that “IP addresses, [...] are not linked to personally identifiable information,” yet this is debatable. Most confusingly, they mention the Netscape Navigator — a browser from the 1990s that has not been updated since 2008 — and Internet Explorer — a browser that Microsoft has been in the process of replacing since 2015 — as examples of browser security, and they cite SSL encryptions as proof of their data security measures. This is also debatable.

Like most direct-to-consumer DNA companies, African Ancestry points out that, if required by law, they will disclose customers’ personal information. In addition, they state that following links to other websites put the burden of responsibility on the consumer, naturally. Finally, they say that, as part of their website’s operations, “it is necessary for us to supplement the information we receive with information from third party sources.” However, they don’t explain why or to which third party sources.

Nonetheless, African Ancestry is one of the few DNA companies that automatically destroys DNA samples after a report has been supplied, adding a layer of security.

Online Resources

African Ancestry’s website is very easy to navigate, in part because they only have two main services. Explanations of the science behind genetic testing, however, are a little simplistic at times. 

For example, when explaining “how it works,” the website states that “you share the same mtDNA as your mother, grandmother, great grandmother and so on. Therefore, your results are the same for your siblings, maternal aunts and uncles, maternal cousins, [...and] for your children.”

This can lead to confusion; maternal cousins only share mitochondrial DNA with each other if their mothers are sisters (not brother and sister). Similarly, a father and daughter do not share mitochondrial DNA.

Best For Affordability

MyHeritage is an Israeli-based direct-to-consumer DNA company that offers both ancestry reports and health/genetic risk reports. Because of the similarities in their products and its position on the direct-to-consumer genetic testing market, comparisons to AncestryDNA and 23&Me are inevitable. 

In comparison to the two biggest DTC DNA companies, MyHeritage is generally more affordable, though their reports contain key differences with those of its competitors.

It should also be noted that, unlike 23&Me, MyHeritage is not FDA-approved or has been cleared to offer genetic health risk (GHR) tests, and concerns regarding this have been raised. We will discuss this further below.

Services Offered

Like 23&Me, MyHeritage offers both ancestry and health risk reports. Like AncestryDNA, though, MyHeritage’s ancestry report provides ethnicity estimates — which 23&Me does not.

Also, like 23&Me, MyHeritage outsources laboratory duties to the CLIA-certified Illumina. Their usage of the same laboratory, however, does not mean MyHeritage’s results will be identical to 23&Me’s because both companies’ interpretation algorithms are proprietary and different.

Finally, MyHeritage’s DNA kits are available in all countries except Israel, the state of Alaska, and some French territories. The health kit is prohibited in Israel, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and in the states of NY, NJ, and RI. Prohibitions on DTC genetic testing is common in certain states.

Ancestry Reports

For $79, MyHeritage’s ethnicity breakdown compares customers’ autosomal DNA against their reference panel (“Founder Populations Project”) of over 5,000 participants across 42 regions. These participants were selected from MyHeritage’s members based on their family trees.

Although they have one less region and a smaller reference panel than AncestryDNA, MyHeritage’s algorithm offers a slightly more detailed ethnicity breakdown.

Screenshot of MyHeritage.com's ethnicity breakdown. September 3, 2019.

In addition, like AncestryDNA and unlike 23&Me, MyHeritage offers the option to create family trees and supplement one’s research with documents and records, including marriage certificates and census data, that can make tracing family members and ancestry history easier. 

It should be noted, however, that a subscription to MyHeritage is required in order to access those records beyond the 14-day trial. Subscription plans range from $79 for the Premium plan to $189 for the complete plan. A Basic plan is also available for free, but it has a 250-person limit to the number of people that can be added to a family tree.

Most noteworthy, however, is the option to upload raw DNA data from other providers for free. This allows customers to compare their genetic results as run by different algorithms.

Health Reports

MyHeritage’s Genetic Risk Reports, priced at $199 (it includes the Ancestry kit), claim to be more thorough and comprehensive than other genetic health reports because they examine a “combination of variants on multiple genes” as opposed to specific isolated variants. 

The company’s risk reports inform customers whether they have a “decreased average, or increased genetic risk for developing certain health conditions,” though they simultaneously acknowledge that these reports cannot tell a person whether they “have or will develop a condition.”

A standard report includes 27 genetic risk and carrier status reports, polygenic risk reports for heart disease, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes, and risk reports for 15 variants of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes associated with breast cancer. Polygenic risk scores are only currently available to customers from European ancestry. Concerns about the accuracy of polygenic tests, however, have been raised, particularly because of their limitations when it comes to health disparity.

In addition, MyHetirage’s lack of FDA approval/authorization has been met with criticism and accusations of loophole exploitation, although the company does remind customers that their health reports are not complete, are not equivalent to medical diagnoses, and don't account for non-genetic environmental factors.

Privacy & Security

Like other DTC DNA companies, MyHeritage assures their customers that their personal information will not be shared with third parties, partners, or sponsors. That said, they also acknowledge that they will disclose personal information in circumstances including if required by law, in the event that the company is acquired by another company, or to third parties contracted by MyHeritage to perform various tasks, from processing payments to physician oversight consultants.

Screenshot of MyHeritage.com's login page. August 20, 2019.

As with any DNA service that has a matching feature, personal information can also be shared with DNA Matches if this feature is enabled by the customer.

It should be noted that MyHeritage was the victim of a cybersecurity incident, which resulted in a data breach in October 2017, and which was not discovered until June 2018.

Online Resources

After navigating MyHeritage’s webpage, we found it to be on a par with that of AncestryDNA in terms of containing the bare minimum of information, especially for subjects as complicated as DNA testing, ancestry, and genetic health risks. 

There’s a lot of marketing lingo (“get the most diverse ethnicity breakdown”), vague assurances of the company’s scientific standards (“we use advanced technology”), and occasional mentions of the actual technology used (“microarray-based autosomal DNA testing” and the “the Illumina OmniExpress-24 chip”). Explanations of exactly how many generations they consider to be representative of a population or what makes a population’s DNA sequence “unique” would be useful.

Locating information on the site also proved difficult. Finding the subscription costs, for example, required external Google-searches, as the information could not be easily found through the website itself. Instead of having a subscription page that lays out all of the different available plans, MyHeritage’s main page highlights their 14-day free trial. There aren’t any links to how much the service costs after the 14-day trial period without signing up first.

Best For Health Reports

In 2017, 23&Me became the first and only direct-to-consumer DNA test authorized by the FDA to offer genetic risk reports to customers. They are partnered with the Illumina Global Screening Array, a CLIA-certified lab, that has conducted the actual genotyping of 23&Me’s more than 5 million customers. 

With the FDA authorization, 23&Me can offer health predisposition and carrier risk reports for variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, for celiac disease, late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and cystic fibrosis, among others.

Services Offered

In the United States, including all territories and armed forces locations, customers have two purchasing options with 23&Me, an Ancestry Service for $99 and a Health+Ancestry Service for $199. 

Ancestry Service

Unlike AncestryDNA, 23&Me’s ancestry service offers a sizeable breakdown of the maternal and paternal haplogroups (based on Y and mitochondrial DNA). However, when it comes to looking at more recent, immediate family ancestry, records, and family members, 23&Me has been described as more limited. 

“The result was much more macro — big picture — than what I was originally thinking. I was thinking that it might be more focused on 'you have such number of cousins and in these types of locations.' But it really traces you back to your roots and a very long time ago.”
- Greg Powel, CEO of ConsumersAdvocate.org

Indeed, the attraction of 23&Me’s ancestry service is the connection to a deeper history from thousands of years ago. While AncestryDNA compares customer’s genes against their 43 region reference panel, 23&Me boasts over 1,000 regions worldwide.

There is a relative finder tool that customers can opt-in or out of, however there’s no option to create family trees. Nonetheless, they offer the option to compare relatives' genotype percentages against each other to see how “different ancestries have traveled through the generations.”

Health Service

As mentioned, the 13 health predisposition reports and 44 carrier status reports are the best reasons to use 23&Me. As part of their health service, the company also offers 8 wellness reports and 37 traits report.

Because of the sensitive, controversial, and complex nature of genetics, and in order to comply with FDA mandates, 23&Me includes detailed explanations for some of the genetic research they conduct and what it means for customers. 

For example, their Type 2 Diabetes page explains what the condition is and who is at risk, as well as provides references to external research that support’s 23&Me’s own data. In the “carrier status” section, they go into detail about what the ARSACS disorder is, how it presents, and how they test for it, and they provide a document on the details of the analytical performance of the test.

In addition, health, carrier risk, and wellness reports often include disclaimers about the inherent limitations of DNA testing. 

Screenshot of 23andme.com's disclaimers of limitation. August 20, 2019.

The most thorough explanation, however, is the “BRCA Education” page, which breaks down the key terms in genetic research, and explains how variants or changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can result in a person developing cancer. 

23&Me explicitly declares that their reports should not be used as diagnostic tools because they’re not comprehensive, that not everyone who has a variant associated with the risk of developing cancer will actually develop it, that not everyone who tests negative for these variants will never develop cancer, and that customers who are worried about their health should consult their doctor or a genetic counselor.

Screenshot of 23andme.com's BRCA1/BRCA2 disclaimer. August 20, 2019.

Consumers need to remember, overall, that the same can be said for all health predisposition reports. 23&Me’s commitment to transparency and their open encouragement that consumers seek out expert advice through genetic counselors is commendable.

Privacy & Security

23&Me’s privacy FAQ on their main page makes it clear that while there are assurances they can give regarding how the company will and will not use customers’ genetic data — not sharing non-anonymized information with third parties, supporting GINA laws, and having specific guidelines for children and at-risk individuals — there are some areas where customers themselves are solely responsible for how they share their information. In addition, they explain that although they will not willingly provide information to law enforcement agencies, they might be required to do so under subpoena or court order.

Moreover, 23&Me emphasizes that customers control a lot of how their genetic data and personal information (from both themselves and family members) is shared by either connecting to other users, connecting to social media, or connecting to other apps, blogs, and forums. For instance, customers can order and send gifts to friends and family, but they have to provide 23&Me with some personal information about them. Similarly, customers can refer and share other people’s information to 23&Me who will assume consent was given for the referral until the person requests to be removed from their database.  

Most importantly, 23&Me is open about what kind of information they share with third- parties, specifically aggregate information that has been de-identified. Nonetheless, as we mentioned in AncestryDNA’s company review, scientists have shown that anonymized DNA data can be re-identified.

Online Resources

Out of all the companies we reviewed, 23&Me’s website was the most scannable and intuitively organized. Their explanations of the science and research behind their genetic tests and reports are simple but not simplistic.

Not only does 23&Me explain in detail how they arrive at the predispositions and risk factors in their reports, the Our Science section in their “How it works” tab also expands on key terminology in layman's terms. In addition, as mentioned above, they demonstrate a commitment to transparency and customer education by referencing external science and health journals, as well as openly admitting the limitations of genetic research in several of their pages and reports. Not only this, but they also put their own research up for scrutiny through publication in several top-tier peer-reviewed journals.

We were most impressed by the company’s inclusivity and customer care when it comes to transgender customers. In their accounts and registration FAQs, 23&Me directly addresses the question — and after a lot of research they are the only DTC DNA company we’ve been able to find who openly does this — of whether transgender individuals can do a DNA test as well as how they can manage the registration process, their personal information, and what others can see through the DNA Relatives feature. This commitment to ensure that a group that has been historically marginalized has control over their genetic information is noteworthy.

Best For Family Trees & Ancestry Research

With over 15 million completed DNA samples, AncestryDNA boasts the world’s largest commercial genetic genealogy database. As their name suggests, AncestryDNA — a subsidiary of the larger company, Ancestry — primarily offers ancestry information in the form of “ethnicity estimates” as well as a family DNA matching service.

Paid subscribers to Ancestry.com can also connect their DNA results to their Family Trees and documented research to get a fuller picture of their family history.

After purchasing and receiving a kit, customers need to “activate” it. This is done before sending in their saliva sample for analysis. Customers don't need to have an Ancestry.com subscription to do their DNA kits, but as explained ahead, some features and services will be unavailable without it.

Services Offered

Currently, AncestryDNA primarily offers ancestry-related services, as opposed to health-related services like some of its competitors. Nonetheless, its large database, supplemented by its regular subscription-based service, make it the best option for genealogy research and building family trees.

Unlike some direct-to-consumer DNA testing companies that only offer a one-time report, AncestryDNA regularly updates their estimates and family matches based on new research they have conducted.

Screenshot of Ancenstry.com's summer sale. August 20, 2019.

Ethnicity Estimates

AncestryDNA uses “microarray-based autosomal DNA testing” and looks at over 700,000 locations of a person’s genome, comparing customers’ DNA against the 16,000 samples in its reference panel. 

It should be noted that some populations have contributed more samples than others. For instance, while the reference panel contains over 2,000 samples from the Germanic Europe region, it contains a mere 65 samples for Western and Central India, 41 samples for the entire Northern Africa region, and a mere 34 samples for the Africa South-Central Hunter-Gatherers region. This is why customers from non-European backgrounds tend to receive less precise results.

AncestryDNA focuses solely on customers’ autosomal DNA, as opposed to Y-DNA or mtDNA like other companies do, so while they can provide information about matching family members as well as percentage estimates about which population groups customers’ DNA might have originated from, they cannot trace genes to a specific haplogroup. That can only be determined through patrilineal or matrilineal DNA. Instead, AncestryDNA targets more recent history (between a few hundred to a thousand years ago). 

DNA Matches

In addition to ethnicity estimates, AncestryDNA’s best feature is its “Matches,” where each customer’s DNA is compared and associated with that of other customers. In order for customers’ DNA to be matched with potential relatives, they need to be on the database themselves. The service then offers both customers “hints” about their family tree, although it should be noted that this option to build trees is only available to Ancestry subscribers.

Traits

For $20 dollars more, customers can unlock a bonus feature: a breakdown of 26 traits associated with their particular genes. These range from confirmation of features customers would already be aware of such as having a cleft chin, joined earlobes, and eye color, to ones that could inform their lifestyle choices or future like male hair loss, or the metabolization of various vitamins. 

However, because many traits are influenced by multiple genes, some which have been identified and some that haven’t, as well as by environmental factors, it should be noted that DNA Traits might not be 100% accurate. As with all other services, AncestryDNA is offering percentage estimates.

Screenshot of Ancestry.com's trait report features. August 20, 2019.

Currently, Ancestry doesn’t offer any kind of health risk assessment or carrier status report.

Reports

All AncestryDNA results are accessed through an online account. Once the results are ready — after customers have activated their kit, created their account, and mailed in their DNA sample — Ancestry emails them notifying when the results are ready to be viewed through the online account.

AncestryDNA explicitly states that they will not send results through the mail.

Raw Data Download

The human genome is very big — 3 billion base pairs big, comprising approximately between 20,000-30,000 genes. In order to analyze it, AncestryDNA and other similar companies digitize it. This allows them to quickly and effectively run their various proprietary algorithms on customers’ genetic codes. 

AncestryDNA, in particular, focuses on about 700,000 “pieces of data,” also called “locations” or “markers,” which have been associated with certain genes. This is how AncestryDNA generates ethnicity estimates and runs family matches. Their 2018 White Paper, a report that details their methodology, explores in detail how they interpret this data in order to produce their estimates.

However, the raw digitized data could be interpreted differently by other companies and services, depending on their own proprietary algorithms. AncestryDNA gives customers the opportunity to download this raw data file from their account. No other person other than the account holder (or someone who has been granted access to the account) can view a customer’s raw DNA data. 

Customers who download their raw data file are responsible for keeping that data secure, even when uploading their raw data file to other services.

Privacy & Security

The very first “Top questions about AncestryDnA” on the main page directly addresses the security and privacy concerns, promising they use “industry standard practices” to store DNA samples, results, and data. Ancestry.com’s Privacy Statement also establishes that customers always “maintain ownership” of their DNA data.

In addition, they assure customers that the third-party testing labs they partner with, Quest Diagnostics Inc. and Illumina, do not store their DNA samples with their name or other identifying information that could trace the sample back to them. Consumers should note, however, that experts have shown that “genomic data is highly distinguishable” and could be re-identified to an individual even when the sample has been anonymized. 

Ancestry gives customers the choice to consent to participate in their research projects, namely the Human Diversity Project. This project is separate from their regular services, and declining to participate does not affect or diminish a customer’s access to AncestryDNA’s services.

As part of Ancestry’s commitment to putting DNA data ownership in the hands of their customers, they offer the choice to have all genetic information deleted if so wanted. This can include the destruction of biological samples (customers’ spit), which can only be done by directly contacting Member Services. However, this option is unavailable if  the customer agrees to Ancestry’s “informed consent to research”

Online Resources

Navigating AncestryDNA’s main page and other online resources can be frustrating. This is caused, in part, by how several of their links to more information — “What your results will include,” “See a sample community,” and “See a match list” — all lead to the same slideshow:

Screenshot of Ancestry.com's results slideshow. August 20, 2019.

Some of the slides are so similar to other images on the main page that it doesn't really y provide additional insight into what results will look like.

“Explore AncestryDNA Traits” is similarly vague. It contains a list of the 26 traits that will appear on a customer’s report, but not what they mean. For example, while “cleft chin”  and “earlobe type” are self-explanatory, others like “Omega-3” or “Vitamin C” are less clear.

Screenshot of Ancestry.com's list of "DNA traits." August 20, 2019.

Overall, there’s very little information about what DNA is, how it can be used to determine ancestry connections and history, and how AncestryDNA’s algorithms work. Clicking through on the sixth question at the bottom of the main page leads to explanations about their ethnicity breakdown, although it still mostly just offers vague information.

Screenshot of Ancestry.com's FAQs section. August 20, 2019.

Nevertheless, it’s great that Ancestry explains — albeit not on their main page — that ethnicity estimation is not 100% accurate and set, but that it’s dependent on Ancestry’s own proprietary algorithms:

"Analyzing DNA to estimate a person’s ethnicity is at the cutting edge of science  — and in a field that is evolving rapidly, there will always be developments and improvements we can make. [...] results are as accurate as possible for where the science is today."

We strongly recommend that consumers navigate the company's comprehensive FAQ section.

Best For Variety of Products

While most direct-to-consumer DNA testing companies offer ancestry and health reports, Orig3n focuses on lifestyle and behavioral traits, providing a range of unique products. Orig3n is currently only available in the United States, except in Maryland; some restrictions also apply in New York.

The company purports that information such as fitness potential, intelligence, and physical appearance can be garnered from genetic analysis. We strongly recommend taking these claims with a grain of salt; Orig3n themselves make it explicit that these tests are not intended to diagnose or even “determine who you are.”

Services Offered

Orig3n offers 19 separate products, with the 20th on their website being a bundle deal of two of their products. Kits range in price from $29 to $149, with their bundle being $249.

Orig3n’s low prices mean that customers have more freedom to pick and choose which kits they would like to try out. 

Orig3n claims that their DNA tests can determine information such as whether a person is a “risk-taker,” an “endurance athlete,” or “empathetic.” Consumers should note that while Orig3n utilizes genetic research that has suggested connections between specific genes and certain traits and characteristics, much of that research is still in its early stages. Using it to reach conclusions about a given individual is, therefore, problematic.

We have contacted experts in the field of genetics to inquire about specific genes singled out by Orig3n and asked them to confirm if those genes can be used in these ways. 

For example, we spoke with Professor Simon Fisher, who discovered the FOXP2 gene that Orig3n now singles out as an indicator of an “uncanny ability to produce and understand speech and language” in their Superhero kit. This is what he had to say about it:

“It is well established that when FOXP2 is damaged by a rare mutation, this usually leads to a severe form of speech and language disorder. But, moving beyond these effects in pathology, I’m not aware of any convincing evidence of variations of this gene enhancing a person’s ability to learn a language (be it their native tongue or a second language).”
- Simon Fisher, Director of the Department of Language and Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

We discuss experts’ take on the differences between genomic research and direct-to-consumer DNA tests in our methodology section, and how their input influenced our company reviews.

Privacy & Security

Orig3n’s Privacy Policy is surprisingly short, focusing exclusively on how they collect information, their security measures, and the standard warning that third-party websites that advertise on the page can have very different privacy policies.

For a slightly more comprehensive policy, customers need to go to their “Genetic Information and Platform” section — a separate policy document. The most notable clause in this document concerns the sharing of genetic information with third parties, specifically by email, posting to social media and other websites through Orig3n’s app or by printing hard copies of information. 

As stated by other companies, customers are responsible for their choice(s) to share their genetic data these ways, and Orig3n is not responsible for how those third parties use the information.

Customers should further note that Orig3n does not destroy DNA samples, or rather, they “reserve the right to retain or destroy” it. Customers can request that the sample be destroyed by email or mail, but Orig3n can choose not to do so at their discretion.

Online Resources

Despite the many products sold by Orig3n, navigating their website is very easy, straightforward, and intuitive. The company divides the information for each kit in two: a short description, and a short breakdown of the aspects they look at for that kit, which includes the genes they analyze.